Happy Valley Casino Hires Las Vegas-Experience Manager Following Early Struggles

Happy Valley Casino in Pennsylvania is already changing course, bringing in a Las Vegas casino veteran to serve as the property’s manager.

Peter Longi, who spent more than 30 years working in casino operations in America’s gambling capital in Nevada, will assume the title of manager at the Centre County facility. He will oversee the facility’s day-to-day management and will provide strategic leadership as Happy Valley Casino attempts to grow in Pennsylvania’s larger gaming landscape.

The property held its grand opening on May 8 after completing a trial run period. Despite the anticipation, it generated less than $3.6 million in revenue in its first month.

Happy Valley casino gets a new boss

Longi’s most recent service came as the assistant general manager of the Sahara Las Vegas casino on the city’s Strip.

A statement released by Happy Valley confirmed that Longi would take charge of daily life at the casino, bolstered by his “strong operational background.” It also noted his experience in dealing with slot machines, table games, player development, floor optimization, and improving guest experiences.

“I'm proud to join Happy Valley Casino at such an important time for the property,” Longi said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the team to drive operational excellence, enhance the guest experience and position the casino for continued success.”

Longi will be taking the place of general manager Eric Pearson, who was in charge since the casino held its opening ceremony on April 27 and departed in mid-June. Saratoga Casino Holdings, the majority owner of the property, says that Pearson’s departure was pre-planned, and that he was always going to move onto a new opportunity.

Despite that, Pearson leaving the casino came shortly after its poor first-month performance was confirmed. The $3.6 million revenue total put it last of Pennsylvania’s five Category 4 mini-casinos.

Reason for optimism?

While Happy Valley’s first-month performance could’ve been attributed to a slower time for tourism and launching in the middle of the month, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) reported that revenue fell by 33 percent in June, dropping the casino to a lowly $2.4 million total. No Pennsylvania mini-casino had ever experienced a May-to-June decline in revenue that large, according to public records.

The PGCB is expected to release July’s performance results in the coming days.

There’s still optimism that key local events, namely the return of Penn State football, will help catalyze the casino. Happy Valley has also implemented several changes to help increase the bottom line.

Dining options inside the casino shortened their hours, changed their menus, and increased prices, ultimately being forced to cut jobs. The casino itself is open from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. daily and features 600 slot machines and 30 table games, including blackjack, baccarat, and craps. 

Pennsylvania has a rich gaming heritage. According to Statista, its industry — including online casinos, retail gambling, sports betting, fantasy contests, and the lottery — was valued at $7.7 billion in 2025, the second-largest amount of any state. Only Nevada ($15.8 billion) was higher. New Jersey ($7 billion) was third.